moved that the bill be read the third time and passed.
House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2000, with 54% of the vote.
Yukon Surface Rights Board Act November 24th, 1994
moved that the bill be read the third time and passed.
Yukon Surface Rights Board Act November 24th, 1994
moved that the bill be concurred in.
(Motion agreed to.)
Fisheries November 24th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for St. John's East who has a powerful and passionate commitment to the livelihood of the fishermen of Newfoundland for raising this important question.
Yesterday the Government of Canada received a communication from the Government of the United States. It was by way of a diplomatic note in which the United States recognized fully and without reservation Canada's jurisdiction over Icelandic scallops both inside and outside the 200 mile limit.
Department Of Natural Resources Act November 21st, 1994
Just a few short comments, Mr. Speaker. I rise in my place to support the amendment to the amendment proposed by the Minister of Natural Resources.
In the 15 years I have had the pleasure of knowing the hon. member for Davenport he has consistently displayed and exhibited in his participation in public life an absolutely unyielding and uncompromising commitment to the principle of sustainable development. To borrow a phrase from Jeffrey Archer it is no exaggeration to say if it can be said of anyone among us in this place he is the first among equals on the question of sustainable development. That is without question. It is also true for those of us who have been here for some time if there has been one who has enlightened and educated us and painfully and patiently explained the value of this principle over the years, it is indeed the member for Davenport.
I am not surprised to see that the member wants to give the Minister of Natural Resources, as the minister would want, the greatest possible obligation and commitment first and foremost to the principle of sustainable development. All else must flow from that. I said I have known the member for 15 years. I have known the Minister for Natural Resources for a year. In my judgment, after sitting with her in council for a year, the minister shares the great commitment of the member for Davenport to sustainable development.
In the amendment moved by the minister and which I was proud to second, the minister has reflected the kinds of standards and principles the hon. member for Davenport has always exhibited in this place. The hon. member is a fair-minded and principled man. I hope he will find the amendment acceptable. I hope we can proceed with this amendment with all reasonable and proper haste.
Questions On The Order Paper November 18th, 1994
The Government of Canada has been aware of the municipality's interest in rebuilding the wharf at L'Anse St-Jean since the fire of August 22, 1992. Since that time, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has been discussing the situation with the municipality.
In 1993/94 and 1994/95, DFO approved expenditures totalling $300K for the pre-engineering studies, and for the plans and specifications for the reconstruction of the wharf. This was done to facilitate the wharf's reconstruction, should funds become available. At that time the government could not make a commitment to proceed with the work.
Public Works and Government Services Canada's recent technical assessment and planning documents indicate that the demolition of the outer end of the wharf and its reconstruction and the renovations to the remaining portion of the wharf will cost an estimated $2 million.
In light of the current climate of fiscal restraint, competing demands for funds to carry out repair and reconstruction projects at federally owned harbours across Canada cannot all be accommodated within the limited budget for the small craft harbours program. Under the current program review, government is seriously questioning whether we can continue to spend diminishing funds or operate improved or reconstructed recreational harbours at the expense of doing essential repairs at commercial fishing harbours. DFO has assigned a higher priority to repair projects at commercial fishing harbours than to recreational harbours and this leaves no funds for large recreational projects. As a consequence, DFO is unable to make a commitment to rebuilding the wharf at L'Anse St-Jean at this time, and it is unlikely that this situation will change in 1995/96.
DFO is prepared to co-operate should other interests provide the funds necessary to reconstruct the wharf.
Question No. 90-
Questions On The Order Paper November 18th, 1994
While negotiations on agreements with aboriginal groups for management of aboriginal salmon fishing were in many cases protracted, leading to delays in signing of agreements, these delays had little impact on the enforcement of agreements and fisheries regulations. Procedures and protocols for managing aboriginal fisheries had been developed under the aboriginal
fisheries strategy in previous years. These procedures were not in dispute, allowing both the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the aboriginal groups to proceed with planning for management and enforcement while negotiations on allocation numbers were ongoing.
All aboriginal salmon fisheries were licensed under the communal licence regulations with the licences reflecting established management procedures. In many cases aboriginal groups were able to prepare for and participate in management of the fishery through bridge funding arrangements even while negotiations were ongoing. In some cases, uncertainty as to final levels of funding to be established through negotiations did curtail aboriginal participation in the management of the fishery.
The department is currently reviewing all enforcement concerns recently raised. The purpose is to identify program weaknesses and develop solutions to prevent reoccurrence. As well, the minister has set up an independent review board to examine all factors related to the management of Fraser River sockeye stocks. The board is to provide its final report to the minister by January 31, 1995 including recommendations for corrective action.
Question No. 89-
Trade November 18th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, the House has been deprived of the best answer we have heard all week. Wait until you hear the rest of it.
Fisheries November 17th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I know the leader and the members of the Reform Party are interested in this question because of their constant request of the government to find efficiencies in the way in which we deliver programs.
As part of the program review exercise, DFO is looking at cost recovery measures. I can say to the member that no decisions have been taken at this stage of the game. There will be no change in the licence fee structure for 1995, but we are asking ourselves whether it is appropriate that somebody who makes on average a $900,000 a year income from fishing certain lucrative fisheries should pay the same fee for a licence as somebody who makes $9,000.
My belief is that somebody who makes $900,000 can afford a little more than someone who makes $9,000. These fees will be quite reasonable, quite rational, and will reflect the circumstances of fishermen living everywhere in Atlantic Canada.
Fisheries November 16th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I certainly intend working with my colleague, with others in the House interested in fisheries matters and with all of the provinces to respond very directly to reorganizing the fishery. The bottom line is that we look after the resource for conservation and for enforcement. That means sharing greater roles and responsibilities with all of the provinces, including the province of Quebec. I am quite open and willing to take a look at it.
The member is asking me whether or not the proposal of any one province is going to be accepted in its total form without amendment or without discussion. That is not the nature of federalism. Federalism is based on mutual respect, mutual interest, dialogue and discussion.
I look forward to continued good dialogue and discussion with all of the provinces, including Quebec.
Fisheries November 16th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. Indeed, several governments in Canada in recent weeks and months have expressed an interest in greater responsibility in the area of the administration of the health of the fisheries.
Among those is the Government of Quebec, which made its position clear at a meeting of federal and provincial ministers in Victoria a few weeks ago. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador expressed an interest in fisheries management in a proposal it calls joint management. The Government of British Columbia expressed an interest in seeing licensing and allocation boards established in the province of British Columbia.
It is good to see that the new Government of Quebec, and on this I congratulate it sincerely, and I have congratulated the minister who is in tune with his fellow colleagues, understands the need to build efficiencies in this country given our fiscal restraint, to find ways to avoid duplication and overlap and to have better administration of fisheries policies by working together, all 10 provinces and the national government.